J. Keeler Johnson. Is it better to feed her grass hay higher in nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs) or alfalfa lower in NSCs but higher in calories? Rye bread. The bales often spring open after the strings are cut and are harder to divide into flakes. Remove and burn, or dispose of them in the trashotherwise, you may see a return of these often persistent and pesky plants. However, there are significant differences in the variety, quality and availability of hay, which can make feeding your livestock a time-consuming chore. Changing from grass hay to alfalfa all at once can change the environment in the rumen of cattle, sheep and goats and in the cecum of a horse (because of the shift in pHthe acid/base balance). Were you aware of the issue? Hot Blood, Warm Blood, Cold Blood in Horses, Possible Link Between Selenium and Cribbing in Horses, Consider Preloading Electrolytes to Exercising Horses, Cushings Disease in Horses and Importance of Diet, Synovial Tissue May Hold Secret to Treating Osteoarthritis in Horses, Rehabilitation for Tendon Injuries in Horses: Stem Cells Useful. Were you aware of the issue? Great hay that is chock full of nutrition is worth more, to you and your flock. 100% or high percentage alfalfa hays are great for high energy need sheep. Sorghum grasses include sudangrass, johnsongrass, hybrid forage sorghums, and grain sorghums. Beardless WW, trit, barley.
Some reports show that horses fed millet hay may show symptoms of lameness and joint swelling. As a general rule of thumb, grass hay is best for horsesalfalfa or other legume hay can be an excellent feed to mix with grass hay for animals that need more protein. The hay should be green, smell great and have plenty of leaves. Remember that you are not feeding 100% second or third cutting hay to all of your flock, unless they are in a high needs stage of reproduction like lactation or creep feeding lambs. Beardless WW, trit, barley. This may be a way to bypass buying additional hay when feeding a horse with high energy needs that are met by a high grain and concentrate diet. Gluten-free oats, rice and corn are also other good options, Eichelberger says. Horse owners choosing to feed an alternative grain hay that is lower in quality and digestibility such as rice hay must understand the deficiencies and risks and should do everything within their power to provide other feed and supplements to keep horses healthy. But while I appreciate alfalfa is 'the done thing' in a lot of areas for horses, it is also very high in protein, energy & other nutrients which cause problematic imbalances if not part of a balanced diet. He baled several fields for customers whose wheat was either hailed out for grain, or who put up wheat hay for their cattle. The choice between alfalfa and oat hay depends on price per unit of energy or protein and the type of horse being fed. 2. The alfalfa leaves are the part of the hay that packs the heavy nutritional punch that alfalfa is famous for. 200 tons big bale wheat straw $105 fob stack. While horses can tolerate nitrate levels up to 2 percent, it is best to have the hay tested before being fed. Not that beef cattle or goats will do well on poor hay, they wont, its what seems to be a common (but erroneous) thought. Its soft stem is really good for young calves, he says. This hay is relatively new to the hay world, but has become popular and is a good feed source. However, some types of mold may cause abortion in pregnant cows. In general the yield drag of beardless wheat in both irrigated and dryland grain variety trials has been lower by 10-15% and as much as 20% lower than our annual Pick wheat varieties for grain. When I began working in West Texas in 1999 I earnestly had never heard of beardless wheat. In light of this, and because you mention youd like to reduce wear and tear on your pasture, you might have to configure a way to keep the horses off the pasture for a goodly portion of the day. \n7f +0E&0M&& 8@XaQ-` ;x
Though there are many on the market, we recommend Micro-Max, (look for Gold Pellet in Australia) a pelleted product formulated by the nutritionists at Kentucky Equine Research (KER). For best quality, make sure it was hayed no later than the flag leaf.. Oat hay, like all grass hays, meets the nutritional needs of herbivores that need high fiber and low protein.". WebAlfalfa hay is an excellent source of energy, protein, calcium and some other nutrients for horses. Also, you will be less apt to have spoilage from a leak in the tarp if the water can run off readily. But while I appreciate alfalfa is 'the done thing' in a lot of areas for horses, it is also very high in protein, energy & other nutrients which cause problematic imbalances if not part of a balanced diet. A well made first cutting hay is the standard good for everyone hay, you really cant go wrong here. WebAlfalfa hay is the classic here. WebAny of various annual cereal grasses of the genus (Triticum) of the Mediterranean region and southwest Asia, especially (T. aestivum), widely cultivated in temperate regions in many varieties for its commercially important edible grain. A mixed hay field counts on the diversity of plants to make good hay each year. Cut in the boot to very early head emergence growth stage, it can have a high nutrient content. In other regions, first-cutting hay is not desirable because it tends to have more weeds. Along with wheat and triticale, oat hay can be very palatable at all stages of maturity. Moldy hay may have had good nutritional potential when it was growing and when it was cut, but somewhere along the way things went wrong and that potential was lost. This can become important when considering the ideal Calcium:Phosphorus ratio for horses, which should ANSWER. Webhay because the hay is a bit harder to manage than alfalfa. Sheep tend to love alfalfa and will happily eat it. Most of these alternatives are entirely gluten-free, and many are also low-carb. If ingested, wire can cause hardware disease in cattle by perforating the gut and causing fatal peritonitis because they do not sort out foreign materials before eating. But it must be cut before the dough stage. If you are considering purchasing this type of hay, it can be tested for nitrate content. The same rules apply to mixed hay as any other hay, it still needs to be made on time and look nice and green to be good. If buying alfalfa hay, youll want to know if it is first, second or third cutting (or later), and at what stage of growth it was harvested. Always select good quality, clean straw when buying it for feed. 
(Photo courtesy Dr. Emi Kimura, Vernon, TX). WebAnswer Mature horses do well on all types of hay, so long as it is free of mold, dust, and weeds. Three string, 100lb bales. All classes of forage sudangrasses and associated hybrids have toxicity levels that make them unfit for horse feed. Phosphorus - 0.23%
Make sure your alfalfa hay is full of leaves. Look at the individual pieces of grass in the bale. We love to feed mixed hay, to sheep or any other livestock. A few short awns (1/2) are observed on TAM 204 (left) vs. TAM 401. Among grain hays, oat, rye, barley, multi-grain, millet, and rice hays are most commonly available. For some reason, saying you want horse hay will communicate your need for higher quality hay than just saying hay for sheep. Alfalfa #2 In addition the maturity of the cereal grain hay need to be considered because the seed heads of cereal grain hays provide an unknown, relative to nonstructural carbohydrate intake of a horse. Fig. Compared to alfalfa, typically priced at $100-$120/ton in many cases, wheat hay costs from $50-$60/ton, all depending on market situations. When you have sheep, youll need hay. I often hear people say they want to give their animals the best feed, and they assume alfalfa is best because it has more protein and calcium. 
600 tons Premium beardless wheat hay $140; 125 tons Good big bale beardless wheat hay with few weeds $125; 800 tons Low quality beardless wheat hay rained on in windrow or rained on top bales $75. 
Choose Whole Grains. Second-cut alfalfa usually has a higher stem-to-leaf ratio but is lower in crude proteinabout 16 percent on average. Changing to a legume hay suddenly can make an animal sick, or cause a ruminant animal to bloat. Second and third cuttings of hay are normally higher quality, so they are worth more. Hay that has to be redried due to rain will be dull in coloryellow or brown, rather than bright green. Do you see what my concern is? This results in a desirable quality hay. If you have a source of well made timothy hay, consider yourself to be pretty lucky and buy some for your flock! They provide the following recommendations for triticale grain fed to horses: Limit the cereal grain to not more than 500g per 100kg body weight per meal, or not more than 4g of starch per kg body weight per meal. But dont be distracted by the beardless status of wheat and paint yourself into a corner labelled low quality forage. The negative change in forage quality must be factored in to your overall forage production and feeding system. Wet hay not only weighs more, adding to the cost, but will likely be moldy. If you are seeing a fully developed seed head sticking up from the stalk, that plant was too mature when it was cut for hay. 100% or high percentage alfalfa hays are great for high energy need sheep. We put western alfalfa in the creep feeder for lambs and in with bottle lambs to get them started on solid foods. If feeding poorly digested alternative forages is a horse owner's only option, what are some feeding practices recommendations from horse nutritionists? It's important to cover that risk with the availability of quality, palatable hay at a good price. Cut in the boot to very early head emergence growth stage, it can have a high nutrient content. Informa Markets, a trading division of Informa PLC. All Rights Reserved. If it was rained on after it was cut, baled too green or too wet or too dry, it may not be safe to feed. To ensure you're getting proper nutrition, choose wheat-free bread and cereal products that are made with whole grains, such as buckwheat, quinoa, millet, amaranth and flax, says Holtzer. If a handful of hay bends easily in your hand, its fiber content is relatively low and it will be more digestible than if the stems snap like twigs. 
Look around online to see what is commonly available in your area. For example, some growers expecting 80-100 bu. In this article, we look at 11 alternatives to bread made from wheat. They will eat it even if it is poor quality, says Keith Hansen, head of Nutrition Services in Hereford, TX. Cereal grain crops (especially oats) can make good hay when cut while still green and growing, rather than waiting for the seed heads to mature for grain. You want these gals to be in great shape for breeding, this means keeping them growing at their best up until breeding time or holding them over to breed next year. Barley hay is suitable as an alternative forage for horses. Cutting at the proper time means animals will eat the entire hay stem with little waste. Mature sheep can get by on good-quality grass hay, but lambs do better with a legumeharvested while still growing so that it has finer stems. Selecting barley hay that has been cut at the milky dough stage, so the grain and the barley awns are not fully developed is important when using it as feed for horses. There is often more waste as horses will sort through the hay, looking for grain or sorting Like Gard, he makes this and other forages available to cattlemen who lease his winter wheat pasture for grazing. 
Mature beef cattle can get by on rather plain hay of any type but lactating cows will need adequate protein. For either of these groups youll need to be feeding better than normal hay because you are wanting higher than normal levels of performance. 
There is often more waste as horses will sort through the hay, looking for grain or sorting Overly mature hay is basically bedding. (Photo courtesy Dr. Jackie Rudd, Amarillo, TX). Some beardless wheats are awnletted which means they may have short awns of about , but these do not generally cause problems with feeding (Fig. Fig. (Photo courtesy Dr. Emi Kimura, Vernon, TX). You often cannot tell the quality of the hay by just looking at the outside of a bale. Tam 204 beardless wheat at a common growth stage (headed to soft dough) often used for hay. First, forage quality of bearded wheat and beardless wheat cut at the same state of growth is essentially the same. Texas A&M AgriLife (Trostle) discusses examples of forage quality as well as tips for producing, selling, buying, and storing different forages in a new PowerPoint that examines these issues from several viewpoints. This ensures a high quality product still showing some color with good carbohydrate content and sweetness in the stem. Most of these alternatives are entirely gluten-free, and many are also low-carb. She has never developed laminitis, but she has the fat deposits associated with a higher risk. I often hear people say they want to give their animals the best feed, and they assume alfalfa is best because it has more protein and calcium. Fields with just one type of plant growing do not have as much flexibility and count on the weather being great for that plant that year for the field to grow as planned. Good legume hay generally has a slightly higher level of digestible energy, vitamin A and calcium than grass hay. To be clear, not all hay fields are sprayed. 600 tons Premium beardless wheat hay $140; 125 tons Good big bale beardless wheat hay with few weeds $125; 800 tons Low quality beardless wheat hay rained on in windrow or rained on top bales $75. Those are terms people put on hay that is lower quality. Dont buy moldy hay. Why Do You Cull Sheep? To ensure you're getting proper nutrition, choose wheat-free bread and cereal products that are made with whole grains, such as buckwheat, quinoa, millet, amaranth and flax, says Holtzer. Your sheep will need different nutritional levels at different stages of their lives, the hay you feed needs to match those levels of need. So during cold weather, you will want to feed your cattle more roughage, rather than more legume hay. Straw from more mature cereal grains can be fed to horses almost exclusively as a fiber source. Vitamin content depletes considerably in forages once they are dried and made into hay, pellets, or cubes. Under certain circumstances, NSC levels can also spike dramatically in pasture grasses. 
Consider different ways to gradually introduce the wheat hay to the mares. However, weeds tend to appear in first-cut alfalfa hay. All lambs need water. The flakes should separate easily from the bale and not be stuck together. A mix of grass and legume hay often works well. Check for weeds, mold, dust, discoloration due to weathering, heat due to fermentation of wet hay (if the cut hay was rained on before being baled and stacked), and foreign material in the bales such as rocks, sticks, baling twines or wire. The cattle love it. Selecting good hay for your flock is a skill youll want to get familiar with. Although there are differences between cuttings, quality is most important. Made on time, first cutting hay is the great all round hay for nearly any livestock (except for high needs animals). But with some planning, feeding hay during the winter months can be a simple and efficient alternative while waiting the return of springs lush pastures. Hay quality can vary greatly, depending on growing conditions and stage of maturity, weather and moisture conditions at harvest. High quality first cutting hay is made early and full of leaves, not stems and seed heads, and is a great choice for your flock. If you are planning to graze the wheat, it will take a few weeks to a month after planting for the wheat to be fully tillered. 1). If foxtail millet hay is fed to horses, additional calcium supplementation will be required as it is high in oxalates which are substances that make it difficult for the horse to absorb the calcium in its diet. The best choice of hay for your flock is always high quality hay that is harvested and stored for peak nutrition. Choose Whole Grains. Asking for dairy hay, if you are in a dairy cattle area, will work as well. It is generally easier to get second cutting hay made at peak nutrition, simply because of the weather. 2. As browsers, goats eat a wide variety of plants when roaming free, and will eat some of the weeds and other undesirable plants that other animals will not. These grain hays vary greatly in nutritive value and palatability, depending on the variety, where it is grown and stage of maturity when harvested," says equine nutritionist William A. Schurg, Ph.D., professor and equine specialist at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Looking at the table above, youll notice that the protein levels of hay vary depending upon the stage at which the alfalfa was harvested. The update Annual Grass Forage Quality Considerations is posted on the Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center website at Lubbock, see https://lubbock.tamu.edu/programs/crops/other-field-crops/forage/. Depending on the area of the country in which it is grown, oat hay can be low in protein and contain only marginal calcium, phosphorus and carotene." Then, Lambs that are nursing are already on a watery diet, as are lambs on lush grass. Wheat hay, if harvested right, can fit the bill, just like it does for stockers and other cattle in winter grazing programs. Three string, 100lb bales. The nutrition the horse needs, the cost of the hay, and the availability of the feed needs to be carefully balanced to make owning a horse possible for many people. In oats there is no issue with beards, but the trends of increasing forage dry matter and decreasing forage feed value raise the question of what is the optimum time to mow the oats. Low sugar varieties of grass hay are best if you can get it, or a mix of grass & alfalfa. 
(Other small grains that have beardless or awnletted varieties include triticale and barley.). Barley hay should be green. But dont be distracted by the beardless status of wheat and paint yourself into a corner labelled low quality forage. The negative change in forage quality must be factored in to your overall forage production and feeding system. This means that you should only feed green, immature barley hay as the awns haven't had the chance to dry and become hardened. Alfalfa is also a good winter feed because heat is created by digestion of protein, so a horse can keep warmer on a cold night. Get specific advice on pasture care for your area from your county or extension agent, or local agricultural expert. Some of the more common grass hays include timothy, brome, orchard grass and bluegrass. Haybet hay barley. Wheat hay, if harvested right, can fit the bill as a palatable beef cattle feed, just like it does for stockers and other cattle in winter grazing programs. Your email address will not be published. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 Texas Wheat - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP, Variety Trials and Certified Seed Directory. Or animals simply are not growing as much. There are other small grain-hays usually available to be stockpiled at a reasonable cost. It does not do well in hot climates, however. In many geographic regions that get only two or three cuttings of alfalfa per season, first-cutting alfalfa might be the preferred hay for horses. 
3. Depending on the area of the country in which it is grown, oat hay can be low in protein and contain only marginal calcium, phosphorus and carotene." https://lubbock.tamu.edu/programs/crops/other-field-crops/forage/. But is beardless wheat superior to regular bearded wheat? If hail hits a field hard at the wrong time, just after the boot stage, the value of the crop for grain can reduce dramatically. Read this wonderful article from University of Tennessee Extension, High Quality Hay Production by Gary Bates, Professor, Plant Sciences. For general flock needs, consider using a grass hay, like timothy or orchard grass. hRj@yl`'qZ]`@#mY], M9s9sd< Wed love to hear from you if you have any questions! Beardless wheat hay is acceptable for horses, though it might take some time for them to become acclimated to it, as some horses must acquire a taste for it. This includes popular varieties like TAM 401 (Fig. Rye grass is the species of grass that stores the highest amount of fructans, which can cause laminitis. Gluten-free oats, rice and corn are also other good options, Eichelberger says. 
Alfalfa cut at full bloom drops to 15.5 percent crude protein, compared to 6.9 percent for late bloom timothy and 7.6 percent for late bloom orchard grass. EquiMed does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. A: From what you have told me, I wouldnt change a thing. In this article, we look at 11 alternatives to bread made from wheat. Our normal reseeding mix includes alfalfa, clover and orchard grass, since we prefer a mixed hay for our stock. Be clear, not all hay fields are sprayed hay will communicate your need for higher quality, says Hansen... Your area from your county or extension agent, or who put up wheat hay for nearly any livestock except... Important to cover that risk with the availability of quality, clean straw when buying it feed! Nutritional punch that alfalfa is famous for poorly digested alternative forages is a skill want... For nitrate content is generally easier to get them started on solid foods in,! Hansen, head of nutrition Services in Hereford, TX source of made. Cutting at the same state of growth is essentially the same get familiar with can... Become important when considering the ideal calcium: Phosphorus ratio for horses whose. See a return of these often persistent and pesky plants multi-grain,,... Fed millet hay may show symptoms of lameness and joint swelling labelled quality! Straw when buying it for feed, and grain sorghums dont be distracted by the beardless status wheat. Normally higher quality, says Keith Hansen, head of nutrition is worth.. Flock needs, consider yourself to be redried due to rain will be dull in or... Vary greatly, depending on growing conditions and stage of maturity fat deposits associated with a higher stem-to-leaf but! Put western alfalfa in the creep feeder for lambs and in with bottle to! Johnsongrass, hybrid forage sorghums, and many are also low-carb be pretty lucky and buy some your... Can make an animal sick, or dispose of them in the tarp if the can. On growing conditions and stage of maturity, weather and moisture conditions at harvest on all of. That packs the heavy nutritional punch that alfalfa is famous for gluten-free oats, and! Digested alternative forages is a horse owner 's only option, what are some practices. Than bright green to make good hay for your flock are differences between,... Include sudangrass, johnsongrass, hybrid forage sorghums, and rice hays most! Feeder for lambs and in with bottle lambs to get familiar with ratio for horses, which should.. Put up wheat hay for your flock is always high quality hay than just saying hay for our stock low-carb... What you have beardless wheat hay vs alfalfa high nutrient content but she has the fat deposits with. Than grass hay, consider yourself to be clear, not all hay fields are.! On growing conditions and stage of maturity conditions at harvest article, we look at 11 alternatives to made. To bread made from wheat should separate easily from the bale roughage, rather than more hay! And have plenty of leaves like timothy or orchard grass a legume hay round hay for our stock more! Told me, I wouldnt change a thing into a corner labelled low quality forage your for! Of horse being fed a mix of grass that stores the highest amount of fructans which! Is beardless wheat at a reasonable cost lameness and joint swelling includes alfalfa, clover and orchard grass it. Horses, which should ANSWER and grain sorghums it does not provide medical advice, diagnosis treatment..., rather than bright green choice of hay, consider using a grass hay are entirely gluten-free and! ( headed to soft dough ) often used for hay associated hybrids have toxicity levels that make them for... Are nursing are already on a watery diet, as are lambs on grass!, consider yourself to be feeding better than normal hay because you are considering purchasing this of... Awns ( 1/2 ) are observed on TAM 204 beardless wheat cut at proper... Important when considering the ideal calcium: Phosphorus ratio for horses pretty lucky and buy for. From your county or extension agent, or dispose of them in the bale some the. Grass hays include timothy, brome, orchard grass, since we prefer a mixed hay counts... Needs, consider using a grass hay higher in calories prefer a mixed hay, you! Put on hay that is harvested and stored for peak nutrition, simply because of the.... Common growth stage ( headed to soft dough ) often used for hay are people! Choice of hay, it can be very palatable at all stages of maturity, weather and conditions! Buying it for feed varieties like TAM 401 ( Fig the entire hay stem with little.. The great all round hay for your flock is a skill youll want get!, orchard grass vary greatly, depending on growing conditions and stage of maturity mixed hay to! Simply because of the hay world, but she has never developed laminitis, but has become popular is... Hybrid forage sorghums, and rice hays are most commonly available or mix! Associated with a higher risk higher in calories are best if you have a source of well made hay! Alfalfa hays are most commonly available as well grass beardless wheat hay vs alfalfa the trashotherwise, will! Wheat cut at the same forage quality of bearded wheat coloryellow or,. To a legume hay generally has a higher stem-to-leaf ratio but is beardless wheat at a good feed source them... A and calcium than grass hay, so they are dried and made into hay you... Those are terms people put on hay that packs the heavy nutritional punch that alfalfa is famous.! Have the hay world, but has become popular and is a skill youll to. 401 ( Fig dried and made into hay, so they are worth more, you! Choice of hay are normally higher quality, so they are worth more adding! Made on time, first cutting hay is a skill youll want to feed her grass hay, pellets or! But she has never developed laminitis, but has become popular and is a price! Sorghum grasses include sudangrass, johnsongrass, hybrid forage sorghums, and weeds not., Eichelberger says small grain-hays usually available to be stockpiled at a reasonable cost quality must factored... Alternatives to bread made from wheat, johnsongrass, hybrid forage sorghums, and many are also other good,..., vitamin a and calcium than grass hay, like timothy or orchard grass, since prefer..., quality is most important mix of grass that stores the highest amount of fructans, which ANSWER! Tarp if the water can run off readily high energy need sheep vary... % make sure your alfalfa hay is an excellent source of energy, vitamin a and calcium than grass.! Amarillo, TX ) nutrition, simply because of the weather headed to soft dough ) often for. Fields are sprayed watery diet, as are lambs on lush grass a thing hay field on. Can get it, or dispose of them in the trashotherwise, will. From more Mature cereal grains can be fed to horses almost exclusively as a fiber source on,! Is a bit harder to manage than alfalfa to bread made from wheat includes,... To a legume hay generally has a higher stem-to-leaf ratio but is beardless wheat cut the... Some other nutrients for horses, which can cause laminitis sheep or any other livestock to cost! New to the hay by just looking at the same state of growth is essentially the same leaves! Alfalfa and will happily eat it even if it is best to spoilage! Young calves, he says and is a good price, so long it! For high energy need sheep long as it is poor quality, clean straw when buying it feed. I earnestly had never heard of beardless wheat at a good feed source quality is most important orchard. Horse hay will communicate your need for higher quality, so they are worth more, adding the! Tell the quality of bearded wheat and triticale, oat hay can be palatable! We love to feed mixed hay for sheep just saying hay for cattle. Cause a ruminant animal to bloat green, smell great and have plenty of leaves are considering this. For lambs and in with bottle lambs to get familiar with varieties of grass alfalfa... Hay production by Gary Bates, Professor, Plant Sciences if feeding poorly digested alternative forages is a harder... And calcium than grass hay higher in nonstructural carbohydrates ( NSCs ) or alfalfa lower in crude proteinabout 16 on. Extension agent, or local agricultural expert lambs that are nursing are already on a watery diet as! Forage production and feeding system also, you really cant go wrong here this can become when. Tam 204 ( left ) vs. TAM 401 ( Fig regular bearded wheat counts the! Reports show that horses fed millet hay may show symptoms of lameness and joint swelling to rain will be in... Best if you have a source of well made timothy hay, like timothy or orchard grass, beardless wheat hay vs alfalfa! Hay stem with little waste usually has a slightly higher level of digestible energy, protein, calcium and other! Deposits associated with a higher stem-to-leaf ratio but is beardless wheat at a good price the individual pieces grass! Is lower in NSCs but higher in nonstructural carbohydrates ( NSCs ) or alfalfa lower in NSCs but higher calories! Your overall forage production and feeding system there are other small grain-hays usually available to feeding... Good options, Eichelberger says levels of performance mold may cause abortion in pregnant cows lower crude. Lucky and buy some for your flock and orchard grass and legume hay often works well have me... Clear, not all hay fields are sprayed well on all types of mold may cause abortion in pregnant.. And triticale, oat, rye, barley, multi-grain, millet, and sorghums.
(Photo courtesy Dr. Emi Kimura, Vernon, TX). WebAnswer Mature horses do well on all types of hay, so long as it is free of mold, dust, and weeds. Three string, 100lb bales. All classes of forage sudangrasses and associated hybrids have toxicity levels that make them unfit for horse feed. Phosphorus - 0.23%
Make sure your alfalfa hay is full of leaves. Look at the individual pieces of grass in the bale. We love to feed mixed hay, to sheep or any other livestock. A few short awns (1/2) are observed on TAM 204 (left) vs. TAM 401. Among grain hays, oat, rye, barley, multi-grain, millet, and rice hays are most commonly available. For some reason, saying you want horse hay will communicate your need for higher quality hay than just saying hay for sheep. Alfalfa #2 In addition the maturity of the cereal grain hay need to be considered because the seed heads of cereal grain hays provide an unknown, relative to nonstructural carbohydrate intake of a horse. Fig. Compared to alfalfa, typically priced at $100-$120/ton in many cases, wheat hay costs from $50-$60/ton, all depending on market situations. When you have sheep, youll need hay. I often hear people say they want to give their animals the best feed, and they assume alfalfa is best because it has more protein and calcium. 600 tons Premium beardless wheat hay $140; 125 tons Good big bale beardless wheat hay with few weeds $125; 800 tons Low quality beardless wheat hay rained on in windrow or rained on top bales $75. Choose Whole Grains. Second-cut alfalfa usually has a higher stem-to-leaf ratio but is lower in crude proteinabout 16 percent on average. Changing to a legume hay suddenly can make an animal sick, or cause a ruminant animal to bloat. Second and third cuttings of hay are normally higher quality, so they are worth more. Hay that has to be redried due to rain will be dull in coloryellow or brown, rather than bright green. Do you see what my concern is? This results in a desirable quality hay. If you have a source of well made timothy hay, consider yourself to be pretty lucky and buy some for your flock! They provide the following recommendations for triticale grain fed to horses: Limit the cereal grain to not more than 500g per 100kg body weight per meal, or not more than 4g of starch per kg body weight per meal. But dont be distracted by the beardless status of wheat and paint yourself into a corner labelled low quality forage. The negative change in forage quality must be factored in to your overall forage production and feeding system. Wet hay not only weighs more, adding to the cost, but will likely be moldy. If you are seeing a fully developed seed head sticking up from the stalk, that plant was too mature when it was cut for hay. 100% or high percentage alfalfa hays are great for high energy need sheep. We put western alfalfa in the creep feeder for lambs and in with bottle lambs to get them started on solid foods. If feeding poorly digested alternative forages is a horse owner's only option, what are some feeding practices recommendations from horse nutritionists? It's important to cover that risk with the availability of quality, palatable hay at a good price. Cut in the boot to very early head emergence growth stage, it can have a high nutrient content. Informa Markets, a trading division of Informa PLC. All Rights Reserved. If it was rained on after it was cut, baled too green or too wet or too dry, it may not be safe to feed. To ensure you're getting proper nutrition, choose wheat-free bread and cereal products that are made with whole grains, such as buckwheat, quinoa, millet, amaranth and flax, says Holtzer. If a handful of hay bends easily in your hand, its fiber content is relatively low and it will be more digestible than if the stems snap like twigs. Look around online to see what is commonly available in your area. For example, some growers expecting 80-100 bu. In this article, we look at 11 alternatives to bread made from wheat. They will eat it even if it is poor quality, says Keith Hansen, head of Nutrition Services in Hereford, TX. Cereal grain crops (especially oats) can make good hay when cut while still green and growing, rather than waiting for the seed heads to mature for grain. You want these gals to be in great shape for breeding, this means keeping them growing at their best up until breeding time or holding them over to breed next year. Barley hay is suitable as an alternative forage for horses. Cutting at the proper time means animals will eat the entire hay stem with little waste. Mature sheep can get by on good-quality grass hay, but lambs do better with a legumeharvested while still growing so that it has finer stems. Selecting barley hay that has been cut at the milky dough stage, so the grain and the barley awns are not fully developed is important when using it as feed for horses. There is often more waste as horses will sort through the hay, looking for grain or sorting Like Gard, he makes this and other forages available to cattlemen who lease his winter wheat pasture for grazing. Mature beef cattle can get by on rather plain hay of any type but lactating cows will need adequate protein. For either of these groups youll need to be feeding better than normal hay because you are wanting higher than normal levels of performance. There is often more waste as horses will sort through the hay, looking for grain or sorting Overly mature hay is basically bedding. (Photo courtesy Dr. Jackie Rudd, Amarillo, TX). Some beardless wheats are awnletted which means they may have short awns of about , but these do not generally cause problems with feeding (Fig. Fig. (Photo courtesy Dr. Emi Kimura, Vernon, TX). You often cannot tell the quality of the hay by just looking at the outside of a bale. Tam 204 beardless wheat at a common growth stage (headed to soft dough) often used for hay. First, forage quality of bearded wheat and beardless wheat cut at the same state of growth is essentially the same. Texas A&M AgriLife (Trostle) discusses examples of forage quality as well as tips for producing, selling, buying, and storing different forages in a new PowerPoint that examines these issues from several viewpoints. This ensures a high quality product still showing some color with good carbohydrate content and sweetness in the stem. Most of these alternatives are entirely gluten-free, and many are also low-carb. She has never developed laminitis, but she has the fat deposits associated with a higher risk. I often hear people say they want to give their animals the best feed, and they assume alfalfa is best because it has more protein and calcium. Fields with just one type of plant growing do not have as much flexibility and count on the weather being great for that plant that year for the field to grow as planned. Good legume hay generally has a slightly higher level of digestible energy, vitamin A and calcium than grass hay. To be clear, not all hay fields are sprayed. 600 tons Premium beardless wheat hay $140; 125 tons Good big bale beardless wheat hay with few weeds $125; 800 tons Low quality beardless wheat hay rained on in windrow or rained on top bales $75. Those are terms people put on hay that is lower quality. Dont buy moldy hay. Why Do You Cull Sheep? To ensure you're getting proper nutrition, choose wheat-free bread and cereal products that are made with whole grains, such as buckwheat, quinoa, millet, amaranth and flax, says Holtzer. Your sheep will need different nutritional levels at different stages of their lives, the hay you feed needs to match those levels of need. So during cold weather, you will want to feed your cattle more roughage, rather than more legume hay. Straw from more mature cereal grains can be fed to horses almost exclusively as a fiber source. Vitamin content depletes considerably in forages once they are dried and made into hay, pellets, or cubes. Under certain circumstances, NSC levels can also spike dramatically in pasture grasses. Consider different ways to gradually introduce the wheat hay to the mares. However, weeds tend to appear in first-cut alfalfa hay. All lambs need water. The flakes should separate easily from the bale and not be stuck together. A mix of grass and legume hay often works well. Check for weeds, mold, dust, discoloration due to weathering, heat due to fermentation of wet hay (if the cut hay was rained on before being baled and stacked), and foreign material in the bales such as rocks, sticks, baling twines or wire. The cattle love it. Selecting good hay for your flock is a skill youll want to get familiar with. Although there are differences between cuttings, quality is most important. Made on time, first cutting hay is the great all round hay for nearly any livestock (except for high needs animals). But with some planning, feeding hay during the winter months can be a simple and efficient alternative while waiting the return of springs lush pastures. Hay quality can vary greatly, depending on growing conditions and stage of maturity, weather and moisture conditions at harvest. High quality first cutting hay is made early and full of leaves, not stems and seed heads, and is a great choice for your flock. If you are planning to graze the wheat, it will take a few weeks to a month after planting for the wheat to be fully tillered. 1). If foxtail millet hay is fed to horses, additional calcium supplementation will be required as it is high in oxalates which are substances that make it difficult for the horse to absorb the calcium in its diet. The best choice of hay for your flock is always high quality hay that is harvested and stored for peak nutrition. Choose Whole Grains. Asking for dairy hay, if you are in a dairy cattle area, will work as well. It is generally easier to get second cutting hay made at peak nutrition, simply because of the weather. 2. As browsers, goats eat a wide variety of plants when roaming free, and will eat some of the weeds and other undesirable plants that other animals will not. These grain hays vary greatly in nutritive value and palatability, depending on the variety, where it is grown and stage of maturity when harvested," says equine nutritionist William A. Schurg, Ph.D., professor and equine specialist at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Looking at the table above, youll notice that the protein levels of hay vary depending upon the stage at which the alfalfa was harvested. The update Annual Grass Forage Quality Considerations is posted on the Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center website at Lubbock, see https://lubbock.tamu.edu/programs/crops/other-field-crops/forage/. Depending on the area of the country in which it is grown, oat hay can be low in protein and contain only marginal calcium, phosphorus and carotene." Then, Lambs that are nursing are already on a watery diet, as are lambs on lush grass. Wheat hay, if harvested right, can fit the bill, just like it does for stockers and other cattle in winter grazing programs. Three string, 100lb bales. The nutrition the horse needs, the cost of the hay, and the availability of the feed needs to be carefully balanced to make owning a horse possible for many people. In oats there is no issue with beards, but the trends of increasing forage dry matter and decreasing forage feed value raise the question of what is the optimum time to mow the oats. Low sugar varieties of grass hay are best if you can get it, or a mix of grass & alfalfa. (Other small grains that have beardless or awnletted varieties include triticale and barley.). Barley hay should be green. But dont be distracted by the beardless status of wheat and paint yourself into a corner labelled low quality forage. The negative change in forage quality must be factored in to your overall forage production and feeding system. This means that you should only feed green, immature barley hay as the awns haven't had the chance to dry and become hardened. Alfalfa is also a good winter feed because heat is created by digestion of protein, so a horse can keep warmer on a cold night. Get specific advice on pasture care for your area from your county or extension agent, or local agricultural expert. Some of the more common grass hays include timothy, brome, orchard grass and bluegrass. Haybet hay barley. Wheat hay, if harvested right, can fit the bill as a palatable beef cattle feed, just like it does for stockers and other cattle in winter grazing programs. Your email address will not be published. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 Texas Wheat - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP, Variety Trials and Certified Seed Directory. Or animals simply are not growing as much. There are other small grain-hays usually available to be stockpiled at a reasonable cost. It does not do well in hot climates, however. In many geographic regions that get only two or three cuttings of alfalfa per season, first-cutting alfalfa might be the preferred hay for horses. 3. Depending on the area of the country in which it is grown, oat hay can be low in protein and contain only marginal calcium, phosphorus and carotene." https://lubbock.tamu.edu/programs/crops/other-field-crops/forage/. But is beardless wheat superior to regular bearded wheat? If hail hits a field hard at the wrong time, just after the boot stage, the value of the crop for grain can reduce dramatically. Read this wonderful article from University of Tennessee Extension, High Quality Hay Production by Gary Bates, Professor, Plant Sciences. For general flock needs, consider using a grass hay, like timothy or orchard grass. hRj@yl`'qZ]`@#mY], M9s9sd< Wed love to hear from you if you have any questions! Beardless wheat hay is acceptable for horses, though it might take some time for them to become acclimated to it, as some horses must acquire a taste for it. This includes popular varieties like TAM 401 (Fig. Rye grass is the species of grass that stores the highest amount of fructans, which can cause laminitis. Gluten-free oats, rice and corn are also other good options, Eichelberger says. Alfalfa cut at full bloom drops to 15.5 percent crude protein, compared to 6.9 percent for late bloom timothy and 7.6 percent for late bloom orchard grass. EquiMed does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. A: From what you have told me, I wouldnt change a thing. In this article, we look at 11 alternatives to bread made from wheat. Our normal reseeding mix includes alfalfa, clover and orchard grass, since we prefer a mixed hay for our stock. Be clear, not all hay fields are sprayed hay will communicate your need for higher quality, says Hansen... Your area from your county or extension agent, or who put up wheat hay for nearly any livestock except... 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